The Friendlier City Project

05/29/2026

Putting on our 2026 Pride festival wouldn’t be possible without the support of an incredible list of sponsors! 🌈

Here’s our first Sponsor Shoutout! We hope you all will support these organizations and businesses right back as they have supported us.

Thank you to three of our Rainbow level sponsors:
🍸 Waterfront Hall
🤝 The People's Unity Project
🎷 Heritage Music BluesFest

05/27/2026

Celebrate the kick off to Pride month with a cultural moment! Refreshments will be served while the art is serving Free to Be!

June 5th | 6-8 pm | The Mother Jones Center for Resilient Community in East Wheeling!

05/25/2026

June is right around the corner and our Pride month is PACKED with more events and activities than ever before!

From gallery openings to drag shows to documentaries and the big day on June 13, we are so excited to offer a slate of a free programing for the Ohio Valley! Hope to see many of you at these events all month long. 🏳️‍🌈

05/22/2026

So grateful to Wheeling Heritage for this support ❤️

Congratulations to the recipients of Wheeling Heritage’s Cycle Three 2026 Partnership Grant! 🎉

These grants support projects that advance historic preservation, community development, arts, recreation, and education throughout Wheeling.

🏛️ Places: A New Play Full-Staged Production
A world premiere production by playwright Butch Maxwell featuring local actors and crew. Performances at Oglebay Institute's Towngate Theatre & Cinema June 12–14, 2026.

🎬West Liberty University– 48 Hour Film Festival
Student teams will write, film, and edit original short films in just 48 hours. Sept. 4–6, 2026.

🚴Ohio Valley Trail Partners – Wheeling Heritage Trail Tour
The 19th annual cycling event featuring 10, 30, and 62-mile routes on May 24, 2026.

🌈 The Friendlier City Project – Pride Festival 2026
A free, family-friendly celebration at Heritage Port featuring entertainment, vendors, exhibits, and community resources on June 13, 2026.

📚 PLANTS LLC (Laurie Ruberg) – GROW Wheeling
An East Wheeling Little Library initiative offering literacy programs, youth activities, and a hydroponics workshop from June–November 2026.

🎥 Retroactivity LLC – Wheeling Film Noir Fest
A weekend of classic film noir screenings and presentations at the historic Kaufman’s building. May 23–24, 2026.

05/22/2026

FASHION!

OUR FASHION EVENTS WEEK
LINE UP HAS DROPPED!
*JUNE 7-13*

RUNWAY SHOW JUNE 12
AT Waterfront Hall!

tickets are still available, but not many - so grab them fast.
runway ticket link-> whgfashionweek.com

05/17/2026

Happy International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. 🏳️‍🌈

We thought it would be funny to sit down and read some of our hate comments out loud, and while we can laugh and joke through some of it, the reality is this is what q***r people deal with every single day.

This day exists to bring awareness to the discrimination, hate, and violence LGBTQ+ people continue to face simply for existing. Homophobia and transphobia aren’t just “mean comments online.” They show up in laws, schools, workplaces, families, and in the rise of hate crimes we continue to see across the country.
Recently, 19-year-old transgender University of Washington student Juniper Blessing was tragically murdered in a stabbing. Stories like this are devastating reminders that the hate q***r and trans people experience is very real… and very dangerous.

As much as we like to make light of things sometimes, this is serious. Our existence is debated and challenged daily, and that’s exactly why q***r people continue fighting for our rights, safety, and visibility.

If you’re q***r and reading this: you deserve to exist loudly, safely, and unapologetically. 🫶

05/15/2026

So excited to have the gender affirming closet back at Wheeling's 2026 Pride Festival this year!

It is always an amazing success coordinated by leadership at Trans OV. See their post below for details and drop off locations ⤵️

Gender Affirming Closet!

We will be collecting donations for the upcoming 2026 Pride Festival in Wheeling held by The Friendlier City Project

Gender Affirming Collection Dates: Monday, May 18 - Thursday, June 11.

Pride: Saturday, June 13 @ 3 p.m.

Drop off Locations:
DogHair
East Wheeling Clayworks
Kismet Salon
Ohio County Public Library
Public Market
Table 304

PLEASE READ: Only donate slightly used or new items and please make sure items are washed before donatiing. Shoes, purses, binders, and accessories are welcome. We do not accept broken glass or trash (and yes we apparantly need to say this lol)

05/13/2026

You heard it here folks! Get your rainbow flags and carabiners out, Pride is around the corner.

05/09/2026

NEW MERCH IS HERE! 🌈👕 Preorder your Pride 2026 merch and support this year’s Pride by grabbing your exclusive gear before it’s gone!

Available for Pre-Order:
• Exclusive Pride 2026 t-shirt design in navy
• FCP Logo t-shirts in white
• Limited edition tote bags with 2 designs in black and natural canvas
• A sticker pack with 3 high-quality die-cut stickers

Pick-up: June 13th at Pride at Heritage Port between 3pm - 9pm

You can preorder now at friendliercityproject.org/shop

Thank you once again to Amanda Carney for 2026's design and a new sunrise quilt sticker and to Spore PrintPress for our FCP branding!

05/07/2026

Help if you can!

Hey folks! We have a community member trying to reach a goal to receive top surgery. A few bucks from a few folks will go a long way!

----

Hello! My name is Ace, also known as Acey Luxe in drag. I’m looking for some community help to get me to my FTM Top Surgery date!!

It is currently on hold until I come up with $4,000. I have to meet my out-of-pocket maximum with insurance in order to proceed. I already have $1k into the funds, which is why I only need $4k now. If you or you know anyone that could help, and is interested in helping someone from the LGBTQIA+ community, please feel free!

https://account.venmo.com/u/ajp570